1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to front loading machines, and more particularly to a hydraulically articulated bucket mounted onto a pallet like platform which may be engaged by a forklift truck for employment as a front loader.
2. Description of Related Art
The following art defines the present state of this field:
Badder, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,296 describes an assemble detachably mountable on the forks of a fork-lift vehicle includes a frame having channels open at one end thereof for insertion there-into of respective ones of the forks of a fork-lift vehicle. A bucket having a bottom wall and an open front wall is tiltably attached to the frame for movement from one to the other of load holding and load dumping positions. Located at the open front wall of the bucket is a door movable mounted there on, which is movable to open and close the open front wall. The assembly also includes poser units, which can selectively move the bucket relative to the frame and open and close the door. The assembly can be used with a conventional forklift vehicle to scoop up particulate material form a surface, and carry the material to another location where it can be dumped from the assembly.
Rothbart, U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,129 describes an attachment for a forklift truck to facilitate the removal or clearing of snow or other materials and debris with the truck, including a frame having two rectangular elongated tubes adapted to receive the tines of the forklift, a plurality of transversely extending crossbars connecting said tubes together, ground-engaging members attached to each tube, a plow blade pivotally attached to the frame, and a shear pin assembly connected between the blade and the frame preventing uneven ground and/or obstruction on the ground from damaging the blade.
Shinkle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,036 describes a plow attachment for a forklift vehicle that has elongated cavities extending from the rear-side of the scrapper blade to receive the lift arms of the forklift vehicle. A connecting link is used to hold the plow attachment includes adjustable elements that permit the plow attachment to be mounted on the lift arms at an angle.
Haven et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,946 describes an application disclosing a design for an automatically dumping hopper for use with a forklift. The hopper is designed for a 1-man operation with the operator transporting stacking and dumping the hopper without leaving the forklift seat and without the use of any controls other than the controls of the forklift. Two embodiments of the invention are disclosed. One embodiment which is useful for sand, gravel and other loose bulk material has a hinged bottom secured to the side-walls with a hasp latch constructed such that when the hopper is tilted on edge, the hasp clears from its retainer, releasing the bottom to open when the hopper is lifted. The latch only releases upon tilting of the hopper so that the hopper cab be transported and stored when lifted vertically. The second embodiment, which is useful as a hopper for trash or other loose bulk material, has a pivotally mounted hopper on a base with an inclined front wall and a bracket that hooks onto a receiving box, permitting the operator to partially withdraw the fork of the lift fork, releasing the pivoted end of the hopper so that raising the fork will tip the hopper, dumping its contents into the receiving.
Bryant, U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,752 describes a safety mechanism for forklift attachment, prevents the premature dumping of a container residing on the attachment in situations where the container is not adequately secured to the attachment because of operator error or non-uniform size containers.
Best et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,150 describes a sweeping machine which includes a debris collection hopper and filter assembly which is readily attached to the lift bars of a conventional forklift so as tot be manipulated both horizontally and vertically by the forklift and which is mounted thereto so as to float relative to he forklift in order to follow the contour of the surface being swept.
Lazenby, U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,510 describes a concrete bucket assembly, which is rigidly mounted for vertical, tilting, and rotational movement for a forklift vehicle. The concrete bucket is provided with upper and lower ball and socket assemblies. The lower ball and socket assembly secures the bucket to the extending fork of the vertically movable frame of the forklift truck. The upper ball and socket assembly secures the bucket, at the top thereof, to an arm, which extends from and is pivotally secured to the vertically movable frame of the forklift vehicle. The hydraulic system of the vehicle is used to move a closure member at the funnel shaped bottom of the bucket and to also control movement of a chute at the bottom of the bucket.
Hoppey, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,485 describes an attachment for a conventional forklift for enabling the lifting and pivoting of elongated containers such as barrels is disclosed, including a base frame means having connection means for connection to the forks of an operated container clamp jaw members on the frame, and hydraulic tilt means for pivoting the container clamp jaws to enable pouring from a container.
Jobmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,873 describes a drum lifting attachments for allowing forklift trucks to be able to raise and lower 55-gallon storage drums. A first embodiment includes a drum lifting attachment having two pairs of arcuate lifting arms positioned side-by-side to allow for lifting two 55-gallon plastic drums simultaneously. This embodiment includes a pair of arcuate arms for each drum. A rotatable rectangular flap can fold-down over the portion of the side-by side connection between the two pairs of arcuate arms in order to allow for the lifting of a different diameter sized drum. Optionally, the fold-down flap can have arcuate shaped sides. Optionally, plural flaps of increasing sizes can be folded down to adjust for the different diameter drums. A second embodiment includes a fork lifting attachment that includes four sets of arcuate arms for allowing four 55-gallon drums to be able to be lifted simultaneously. The drums to be lifted in include standard 55-gallon metal drums, 55-gallon conical drums and drum sizes of varying diameters. Each of the embodiments includes attachment couplers for hooking about the standard parallel forks of a fork lifting truck. The drum lifting attachments can be formed from galvanized steel, stainless steel, and combinations thereof. The lifting attachments are able to lift and lower two drums and our drums simultaneously.
Eaglesham, U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,631 describes a cleaning attachment to fit a forklift truck for cleaning substantially vertical surfaces. The attachment includes a mounting frame fitted with spaced-apart hollow sleeves to receive the forks of the forklift truck and thereby connect the frame with the hydraulic hoist for vertical movement. An elongated scrubbing element is mounted with a support frame connected with the mounting frame by spaced-apart parallel arms. The arms are pivotally mounted with the mounting frame and support frame respectively to provide reciprocating movement of the scrubbing element toward and away from the surface to be cleaned. In use the scrubbing element is traversed over the surface to be cleaned by vertical movement of the hoist and horizontal movement of the forklift.
The prior art teaches front loading equipment of various types and also, a front loading bucket attachment for a forklift truck (Badder). However, the prior art does not teach that such a forklift attachment can be configured, with respect to its structure, in such a simplified manner making it very inexpensive, relatively light in weight and easy to use. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.